Catching Herself
by ShipperWriter
Summary: It was slightly different.  It was very weird at times.  Sometimes, it was too similar and she had to remind herself.  But the Doctor still loved her.  Would always love her.  Did she really need more than that?


Hello, all!

Well, this is my first attempt at fic in the Whoniverse, so I know the concept has been done a million times, but here it goes anyway!

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She still caught herself, at times, staring at the night sky, wondering where he was in his world. It felt rather silly, almost redundant to wonder that. But she couldn't stop herself. Was he flying to a planet that they'd never explored? Had he regenerated again? Was the TARDIS parked on Earth, somewhere in London?

Was he missing her?

Rose Tyler wondered if, technically, she was cheating on her Doctor. They had been together for almost a year. And he was quite right, too. She could sense an odd wit about him, sometimes, and he quickly caught himself with a cheeky grin and murmured something about a piece of Donna, but otherwise he was completely identical to him. He thought just like him. He spoke just like him. He remembered everything that they had been through. It hurt at times, forcing herself to remember that it wasn't exactly the same Doctor, but then again, would she have been strong enough to go on without him in her life?

With a wide smile and a tender kiss on her forehead, the Doctor continually reassured her that she was the bravest, most resourceful woman in the universe. He had no doubts that she could have lived out her life without him. "But," he always concluded, "life is better with you. I don't want to experience it any other way."

She would catch herself, feeling guilty for her selfishness. As Donna had said shortly before they parted for the last time, the Doctor was giving her a gift, someone that would always love her. She realized now, looking back, that his answer was quite right, too. Even though it was always better to hear it aloud, from his lips, everything that he had done for her was out of love. Including leaving her.

At that moment, her mind had accepted that she wouldn't return to her real world, that the Doctor would literally always be with her. It took a bit of time for her heart to catch up.

She felt a stirring in the bed next to her, and with a soft sigh she rolled over gently, facing the left hand side of the bed.

He was still asleep. One hand lay across his abdomen as the right one rested just above his eccentric hair. She leaned on her elbow, watching as he calmly drew breath through his parted lips, then blew it back out. He grumbled something that she couldn't make out, and assumed that he was dreaming.

She pursed her lips in contemplation. Ever since their new life had started, he had been cataloging all the differences and similarities. His craving for bananas had remained. He didn't snore, and she quickly thanked God for small miracles. He was still as brilliantly clever as the first day they met.

He was even more in love with her now than he was a year ago.

Given that Time Lords needed sleep infrequently, the eight hours in bed took him some getting used to, but having Rose curled into his side lulled him into unconsciousness rather quickly. Now, it seemed, as the sleep cycle established itself, he was starting to dream more.

True, he would have daydreams and be able to see a million things in the span of a second, but dreaming was a new experience for him. The first time it had happened, he woke up in a panic, unsure of what had just transpired, but she was there. She soothed his worries, held him a little tighter, and his next dream was much pleasanter.

But tonight, as he continued his mumbling, she furrowed her brow in worry.

"Not leaving you … not the same … always love you, Rose Tyler …"

She gasped in shock. It couldn't be. Could it?

All of her fears that she thought she had covertly hidden over the last year were realized in that one statement. And it appeared that he had picked up on it. Subconsciously, he knew that she was worried about how he felt for her.

She reached out a hand to touch his cheek, and his eyes fluttered.

"You're awake," she said quietly, a bit surprised.

He nodded, turning his head to face her. "I would guess that the REM cycle is closer to consciousness for a Time Lord as compared to humans."

"Hmm."

He lay there for a moment, just watching her, until his dark eyes blinked sleepily at her. "Something the matter?" he asked tenderly.

"No, no, everything's fine," she lied, giving him a small grin.

He flashed his own radiant grin at her, then lifted his hand from over his head, sliding it under her waist and pulling her towards him. "My Rose," he whispered through a yawn, trying to stifle it as he spoke but failing.

She giggled, then snuggled into his side, her head resting on his chest.

It was slightly different. It was very weird at times. Sometimes, it was too similar and she had to remind herself.

But the Doctor still loved her. Would always love her.

Did she really need more than that?

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Reviews always appreciated! Thanks for reading!


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